Apologies in advance for this long post. This is an interesting topic. The initiator posits that we should ideally do or not do those things that Jesus did or did not do. In general, I agree with the sentiment, Christians should model their lives on how Jesus lived. But Jesus was not faced with every possible situation that Christians face. The Bible does not recount him dealing with a home invasion, or discussing the tyrant two countries over torturing and killing innocent people. So we have to rely on interpreting his words and actions. In John 15, Jesus was explaining why no man can be saved except through Him. This is the "I am the vine, you are the branches" parable. In verses 12-13, He says "This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you. Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends." He was foretelling His crucifixion, of course. To truly follow Jesus's example, once you were aware of a situation where your friends were in danger, you are in fact Commanded to intercede, even at the risk of your life. Paul's Letter to the Romans, Chapter 13 is pretty strong, too. Paul is counselling that the faithful submit to authorities. Why? "For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil." Now, why would Paul, who was divinely converted on the road to Damascas, speak so well of the civil authorities? It seems to me that he knew that pure pacifism was no match for the truly evil that exist in the world. That evil might be next door, or half a world away. The Christian Soldier does hear his brother's blood crying out from the ground, whereever that may be, and is motivated by justice to put things right. One last response: There is one famous example of Jesus physically harming other people - when He drove the money-changers out of the temple. "And when he had made a scourge of small cords, he drove them all out of the temple, and the sheep, and the oxen; and poured out the changers' money, and overthrew the tables" (John 2:15) You don't make a scourge to move cattle, you use it to move people on their way. Jesus was Temple Cop. Now, today, they would call His actions Police Brutality. Now, for some points of my own, not raised by the thread participants. Many counsel pacifism, or at most, strongly worded statements instead of military engagement in far-flung regions of the world. They have "Coexist" bumper stickers on their cars, next to "Free Tibet" and "Free Dafur". All well and good, everyone is entitled to their opinion. But the Chinese are still murdering the Tibetans, and the genocide in Dafur continiues. Now what? If one are so adamant about freeing these people, then you must, at some point, agree to a military solution, or else be false to your cause. Evil oppressors will continue to oppress. They laugh at the self-gelding protestors. They cannot be reasoned with - they must be stopped. The Geneva Convention, to which most on the Left genuflect, is nothing more than the embodiment of the conventions of limited war as generally agreed upon during the centuries of European wars. What general set of moral principles guided those nations to limit warfare? Judeo-Christian ones. "Just war" is a difficult concept when applied against real world conflicts. The Christian Soldier, as opposed to, oh, an Aztec warrior, or a samurai, is guided by some pretty clear things: humane treatment of prisoners, offering quarter when defeat is evident, no intentional targetting of non-combatants. The power of war is calibrated. The least amount of force necessary for a purpose is used. This is most often shown in the breach: My Lai was a war crime because non-combatants were slaughtered, in violation of Christian principles. The firebombing of Dresden is highly controversial for this reason as well. From the policeman on the corner to the Commander in Chief, evaluation of the threat, whether to use force, and if so, how much, are their basic jobs in life. You had best hope they have a strong moral foundation, and that those morals are informed by the teachings of Christ. They are, after all, standing between you and the evil, amoral threats that wish to wipe you out.